Individuals who are outside or exposed to various work environments can encounter a variety of air borne irritants. For example, walkers and joggers can be exposed to pollution, pollen, exhaust, insects, dust, smoke, bacteria, viruses, etc. There are also numerous other examples of individuals who are exposed to air irritants such as people who work in the sanitization industry, insect infested environments, dusty or sandy environments, painters, a chemical industry, construction workers, bike riders, skiers, fertilizing, crop dusting, exterminating and the list goes on. Animals and birds suffer as well from air borne irritants such as sand and dust including the other irritants and problems mentioned above which can lead to ailments such as lung disease. Moreover, negative effects are enhanced on individuals, animals and birds with respiratory conditions such as allergies and lung problems.
A variety of breathing filter devices have been available in the past, however, these devices have a variety of shortcomings, including devices which are too expensive to dispose of after one use or are not readily washable once they are covered with an irritant such as pollen, dust, mucus, devices which inhibit breathing, devices which are cost prohibitive, those which may not be sturdy specially in a moist environment, devices which are cumbersome to wear, the device may be unsightly to wear, etc.
The need therefore exists for a disposable breathing filter which is easy to apply, comfortable to wear, easy to remove, manufactured with inexpensive materials by an inexpensive process, disposable, washable, durable (especially for moist environments), lightweight and breathable.
The breathing filter generally has a nose mask, strap(s), and a filter member. The strap(s) may be elastic, and serve to hold the nose mask over the user""s nose. The filter member may be a plug-in device allowing removal of the filter member and replacement of the filter member cartridge or the filter material.
Certain embodiments of this invention are not limited to any particular individual features disclosed, but include combinations of features distinguished from the prior art in their structures and functions. Features of the invention have been described so that the detailed descriptions that follow may be better understood, and in order that the contributions of this invention to the arts may be better appreciated. These may be included in the subject matter of the claims to this invention. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this invention, its teachings, and suggestions will appreciate that the conceptions of this disclosure may be used as a creative basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out and practicing the present invention. This invention is to be read to include any legally equivalent devices or methods which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The present invention recognizes, addresses and meets its preferences or objectives in its various possible embodiments and equivalents thereof. To one of skill in this art that has the benefit of this invention""s realizations, teachings, disclosures, and suggestions, other purposes and advantages will be appreciated from the following description and the accompanying drawings. The detail in the description is not intended to thwart this patent""s object to claim this invention no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions of further improvements. These descriptions illustrate certain preferred embodiments and are not to be used to improperly limit the scope of the invention, which may have other equally effective or legally equivalent embodiments.